Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri took the world by surprise when he announced his resignation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This short video perfectly explains the political crisis in Lebanon. Lebanon could be caught up in a conflict because of a tension that is rising between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The Lebanese constitution strikes a balance between the different sects of the country: the president should be a Maronite Christian, the prime minister should be a Sunni Muslim, while the speaker of the parliament needs to be a Shia Muslim. Also, political parties in Lebanon are divided into two groups: March 8 and March 14. Hariri’s resignation broke the political balance. He criticized Iran for interfering in Lebanese and Arab affairs, and claimed that he is under a threat of assassination. The Lebanese President Michel Aoun did not accept Hariri’s resignation since it is believed that he has been forced by Saudi Arabia to resign. The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Thamer Al Sabhan stated that Iran is spreading terrorism in the region. Saudi Arabia and Iran are competing for dominance in the Middle East. Lebanon is caught up in a cold war between these two countries. Arab countries and Israel have been agreeing lately to counter the aggression of Iran. In September, Israel conducted its largest military operation in twenty years in the South of Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah. The President of the United States also joined the conversation. He said that the Trump Administration is working on sanctioning Hezbollah. What is Lebanon’s fate? Click
for updates about the Hariri Crisis.
